


Antirrhinum majus

by anaklusmos (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M, Male-Female Friendship, Marauders' Era, Other, The Potters Live
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-22 12:43:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11380434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/anaklusmos
Summary: Lily and Sirius aren’t friends, really. But the next time Marlene offers them Cauldron Cakes they may or may not glance at each other and laugh, like friends sharing an inside joke. When Evan Rosier walks around with a black eye on behalf of Lucius Malfoy, they may or may not share knowing smirks. She still can’t stand Potter, but Black...he may or may not be that insufferable after all.Or, the one where Lily and Sirius are friends long before Evans and Potter are Lily and James. And that makes all the difference.





	Antirrhinum majus

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta'd and stuff because if I bother with that right now I'll never get the second chapter done and I'll be unsatisfied for the rest of eternity because I have exams in a month and really shouldn't be writing fanfiction, but ANYWAY. The Lily and Sirius friendship means the world to me so yeah here you go

When Lily had first come to Hogwarts, she thought that the candles charmed to burn constantly gave the castle a homely feel. She didn’t miss electricity or light bulbs or anything from home, because  _ who would? _ The magical candles made everything seem warmer, cheerier, more cosy.

Now, at 3am, the deserted corridors looked far from cosy. The dancing flames of the candles cast shadows that seemed to leap out at her; trying to grab her and drag her down. The magical paintings had once fascinated her, but now the way the eyes of the people in the frames followed her set her on edge. The castle seemed menacing at night, and Lily felt unwelcome. She cursed Severus for only talking to her late at night, when no one else would see. He didn’t want his Slytherin friends to see him talking to  _ her. _ Lily didn’t really understand why they’d mind, nor was she very happy that Severus cared so much about what they thought.  
Still, Lily forgave him.  
After all, he was her  _ friend _ .

And those Slytherins  _ were  _ awful. Lily didn’t hate them in the way that Potter did, but she didn’t particularly like some of them. She didn’t need to grow up in the magical world to know that when they referred to her as  _ mudblood _ , they used the word like a weapon; like the label was meant to hurt Lily. She had slapped a boy in her primary school once for calling her friend a rude word in the same tone that they used when they called her a mudblood. The word didn’t hurt Lily, but the fact that Severus still looked up at the ones who called her that with stars in his eyes did.  
But still, he  _ was  _ her friend.

She and Sev had been through so much together. He was the only one who understood what it was like with Petunia. He was the first one to know that she was a witch. He was her best friend, and she wasn’t going to give up on him that easily. Bugger what Marlene said, she decided, Sev was her friend. She didn’t like his other friends, but Lily was confident in the fact that she was more important to him than them. He’d realise how nasty they were eventually, and he would stop making Lily sneak around the castle long after curfew just so that they could talk.  
He was  _ her  _ friend, after all.

She ignored the voice in her head that pointed out that they were now well into their second year at Hogwarts, and Severus seemed to be closer to them than her. She ignored the fact that Severus didn’t even look her way when he was with them. She ignored the feeling of hurt about the fact that he treated his friendship with her as something to be ashamed of. 

 

Caught up in her thoughts, Lily didn’t realise that she turned down an unfamiliar corridor, dark and already occupied, until---

“Well, if it isn’t a little mudblood, out past curfew,” a sneering voice said. Lily looked up at Evan Rosier, a cruel smile on his pale face. She tried to back away, but a hand grabbed her wrist; Narcissa Black, her cold grey eyes gleaming viciously.   
“Let me go,” Lily said through gritted teeth, her voice not betraying the fear that was making her heart thump painfully fast.   
“So you can keep wandering around past curfew? No, I think we ought to teach you a lesson.” Narcissa’s voice had a wicked edge to it. “Bad enough they let your sort into Hogwarts.”  
Lily could feel Narcissa’s nails digging into her wrist, a sharp stinging on her skin. The Slytherin had a grip on her wand arm--though it wasn’t like Lily stood much of a chance against them in a duel anyway. Two sixth years against a second year. And besides, if Potter was right about them knowing an awful lot about Dark Magic…  
“We could give the little mudblood some lessons in magic, couldn’t we...Teach her some spells she doesn’t know yet,” Rosier taunted, lazily spinning his wand in his hand. “I wouldn’t mind some practice.” A few stray sparks crackled from the end of his wand, and Lily felt cold fear paralyze her momentarily. She tried to wrench her hand from Narcissa’s iron grip and grab her wand with the other, but the older witch was stronger. Narcissa twisted both her arms behind her back, Lily’s wand falling to the ground. Rosier kicked it away, a gleeful expression on his face.

Something flickered at the end of the corridor; something, Lily couldn’t see what, moving. “Wonder what the little Gryffindor’ll try next. She doesn’t look so brave though, without her friends to help her,” Roser said, gesturing to the empty corridors.  
“What friends? That little Snape boy?” Narcissa scoffed, “He only talks to her when he thinks none of us can know what he’s doing. Little Red here knows that he’d never stick up for her in a fight.” Lily didn’t take the bait, though the words stung.  
“Pretty brave of you two to pick on someone much younger than you. I suppose that’s why you’re in  _ Slytherin _ ,” she said, disdainfully. Lily couldn’t see Narcissa’s face, but Rosier flushed.  
“Big talk from someone who is wandless and alone,” he said threateningly.  
“She’s not alone,” a fourth voice said. Sirius Black, seemingly materializing out of nowhere, stepped out of the shadows. “Let her go,” he said, looking at Narcissa.  
“This doesn’t concern you, Sirius,” Narcissa said firmly. Sirius is about to reply when Rosier interrupts.  
“This little black sheep here doesn’t know his limits either.” Sirius looks at Rosier with a haughty expression that would look out of place on any other twelve year old’s face, but seemed to be perfectly natural on Sirius’ aristocratic features.   
“I think you’ll find that it’s best for a  _ Rosier _ not to meddle in the family affairs of the Blacks,” Sirius says coolly, and then directs his attention back to his cousin. “Let her go, Narcissa.”  
“Stay out of this.. You don’t want me telling your mother about the kind of friend’s you’re associating with, do you? Bad enough you’re in Gryffindor, but to hang around with blood-traitors and half-bloods?”   
Sirius raises one eyebrow in an expression of perfect contempt. “And you don’t want  _ me _ telling mother about your late night...escapades with Rosier here, do you?” He gestures without looking towards the older Slytherin, who looks slightly panicked at the prospect. “I wonder how Lucius would feel about it. It would be a shame if he suddenly had reason to break off the engagement, wouldn’t it?”

Lily couldn’t see Narcissa’s expression, but the older witch’s grip on her wrists tightened, strong enough to leave bruises. Sirius’ grey eyes flashed with the same wickedness she saw in Narcissa’s eyes, and Lily was struck by how much Sirius resembled the other Blacks. Finally, Narcissa let go of Lily, shoving her away.   
“Just this time. But you better watch your step, mudblood.” She stalked away. Rosier looked disappointed, but he followed, throwing one last menacing look towards the two Gryffindors. 

 

Lily picked up her wand, and tried to roll out the stiffness in her hands. “Thanks,” she mumbled, not making eye contact with Sirius.  
“Show me your hands,” Sirius said.  
“What?”  
“Let me see. I can help.”  
“I don’t need anymore of your help, Black. Thanks though.”  
Sirius rolled his eyes. “That’s going to be bruised tomorrow. Just let me help, Evans.” Lily begrudgingly held out her hands.   
“How do I know I can trust your healing charms?”  
Sirius didn’t reply. Instead, he held his wand to Lily’s injured wrist and muttered something under his breath. Immediately, she felt a cool sensation on her skin and the pain disappeared.  
“How do you know how to do that?”  
“Natural talent,” he replied, not meeting her eyes. “Going back to the Gryffindor tower now?”  
Lily nodded as they began walking. “Why are you out so late anyway?”  
“What am I, being tried in front of the Wizengamot?”  
“I’m just curious,” Lily shrugged.  
“I heard a rumour about a secret passageway to Hogsmeade. Had to check it out.”   
Lily raised an eyebrow. “Was it true?”  
Instead of saying anything, Sirius reached into his pockets tosses Lily a Cauldron Cake. She hesitantly took a bite, before gagging and spitting it out.  
“It wasn’t true,” Sirius explained, “Just led me to that corridor I so gallantly rescued you from.”  
Lily is still cringing, the taste of stale Cauldron Cake in her mouth.  
“Can’t remember the last time I bought one of those.” Sirius pretended to think for a second. “Reckon that’s from first year, actually.”  
Lily tossed it at him, but Sirius ducked, laughing.  
“You’re an ass, Black,” Lily said, but she’s laughing too.

 

Lily and Sirius aren’t friends, really. But the next time Marlene offers them Cauldron Cakes they may or may not glance at each other and laugh, like friends sharing an inside joke. When Evan Rosier walks around with a black eye on behalf of Lucius Malfoy, they may or may not share knowing smirks. She still can’t stand Potter, but Black...he may or may not be that insufferable after all.

 

**Author's Note:**

> don't ask me about the title, i'm so ashamed because its such a terrible and obvious pun, but also somehow very obscure? shoutout to indian flower names lmao


End file.
